Jan-Feb 2012: Poem 'Love Burns' by Abha Iyengar

I do not find myself
dangling from your fingertips anymore.
The cigarette that you could put
forever to your lips
one end to suck from
the other end glowing because of it,
so full I was of loving.
You drew in love
and blew out smoke.

I have curled like wisps over your head
and then you tapped the ash, drew the last drag,
flicked me out with your nail.
The passer by, a starving old rogue
put me to his lips and then spat,
I was brown waste in his mouth.